The Child is Mine
by FelsGoddess
Summary: "Possession is nine points of the law." Mara, Han, Jacen


Title: The Child is Mine  
Author: FelsGoddess  
Timeframe: During Legacy of the Force  
Characters: Mara Jade Skywalker, Han Solo, Jacen Solo  
Genre: Introspective  
Keywords: challenge response  
Summary: "Possession is nine points of the law." Told with three varying POVs  
Notes: Response to proverb challenge

**Mara Jade Skywalker**

Ben is mine.

I will not let you take him, dear nephew. I will not let you twist him as you have been twisted. I will not allow you to turn my boy into some demented, lost soul.

He is mine.

I have almost died for him many, many times. I will die for him. I will do anything to keep you away from my precious boy.

I know, Jacen. I know what you are. I know what you have become. You are dark, evil. You hold your grandfather up on a pedestal. You never met your grandfather. Your uncle, bless his heart, tells you about his redemption and how his love for his child saved him. I have told you what a monster he was. Darth Vader was no hero. He did not bring peace. He did not bring safety. He killed to kill. He tortured your parents, but they don't matter to you anymore, do they? Neither does your twin sister. I never believed a day would come where you would cause your sister pain. She's your other half, Jacen. She bleeds, you bleed. You hurt, she hurts.

You claim that you are doing this for the greater good. The greater good. Every being claims what they do is for the greater good. Is killing innocents part of the greater good? Tell me, did the Force tell you that those people would turn into murderers or cause destruction? Did the Force tell you that corrupting your cousin would bring you what you desire? Did the Force tell you to try to kill your parents?

I hunt you, dear nephew, as I have hunted many. You may forget that it was once my job to eliminate threats. You are a threat. You are not all-powerful. You are no Vader. It's my job to stop you before you become evil incarnate.

You will not harm my Ben. You will not take him from me. I won't let you.

**Han Solo**

Possessions are nothing. They are mere objects to lose. I can hear Leia now, telling me how heartbroken I would be if I lost the _Falcon_. It is only a ship. Yeah, I'd be pretty upset, but I can move on.

Decades ago, I held three tiny children. I swore to let no harm come to them. I swore they would have happy, healthy, carefree lives. I wanted to them and hide them far away from the dangers of the galaxy. They were my children, my precious Jaina, Jacen and Anakin.

I lost Anakin. I lost my little boy. Years later, I sometimes imagine him running through the hold on the _Falcon_, handing me some tool or part. I taught him to fly. I taught him to walk. His blue eyes haunt me; a specter in the mirror.

I lost my baby girl, to a point. Her body was there, but her mind was gone. The idea that my little Jaina's personality was flushed away killed me more than I care to admit. Years later, she is back, mostly healed. She doesn't smile as often as I wish, but she's here. I will give anything for her happiness.

Today I lost another son. Today Jacen is gone. He's alive, but he's not Jacen. My Jacen would never do what has been done. He would never kill just to kill. He would never burn a planet. He would never kill his aunt. He would never harm his cousin. He would never kidnap his own child.

My heart fights a battle of breaking and mending as I hold my granddaughter in my arms. She's sleeping. I can't bear to put her down. I know I must hand her over to her mother soon. Allana is beautiful. The true Jacen is locked inside of her, waiting to appear.

I pledge to you, Allana, that I will be the best grandfather in the galaxy. I will visit often. I will tell you stories. I will uphold the lessons of right and wrong. I will be your support, your help, your confidant. I will save you from the darkness that plagues this galaxy. I will not fail you as I did my own children. I failed to keep Anakin alive. I failed to guide Jaina along the right path. I failed to save your father from himself.

I will not fail you, precious Allana.

**Jacen Solo**

Allana is mine. You stole her. Mother, you tricked me. You tricked me and allowed my daughter to be taken from me. She is my child. She is mine to take from her betraying mother.

Everyone I have done, I have done for her. I do not want her to grow up as I did.

Allana will live in a peaceful galaxy. She will live in a place without war. She will not have to fight at a young age. She will be able to be the child I never was. By doing what I am doing, I am giving my life for hers. It is forfeit. Take it as long as my Allana is safe and happy.

I understood you, Aunt Mara, more than you realized. That protective determination you had for Ben matches mine for Allana. My child did not know I was her father until recently. It pained me to hear her call me by my given name. Hearing her say "Daddy" was the most magical, precious, joyous moment of my life. I understand, Aunt Mara. I am not angry with you for what you did. I would do the same. I am doing the same.

If providing my Allana with a safe galaxy makes her hate me, I will sacrifice her love. I will always love her, no matter how she feels for me. I'm sure after today my family has poisoned her against me. So be it.

Perhaps one day, all will realize why I have done this. I hope you all understand. More than anyone, I hope Allana and Anakin understand. I cannot stop thinking about what he would say. Anakin and I debated everything. How would he take my crusade?

More importantly, why do I care? I have given up the love of my family. Why should it matter what my dead brother would say?

She is gone. I can feel my Allana slipping away. You took her from me.

She is mine.


End file.
